Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-02-04
THE PIONEERS, CABINET.

CVt1AHA ACCeptouCo u tUc m8XUlMccut
GIFT BY the Leelslsture-Re Of
Senator ujade-Letter from Colonel
Taylor.
Virginia tNsv.l ohronicls.l
The bill introduced in the Senate
by Colonel. E. d. Boyle, accepting, on
behalf of the State of Nevada, the
splendid cabinet of minerals and
curios donated by the Nevada branch
of the Society of Pacific Coast Pho
neers, passed both Houses unani-
mously.
When it was called up, Senator
Poujade prefaced the recommendation
OF its passage with the following elo-
quent remarks:
"In Natures common course we
are passing away. The men of ~,
AZ and '49-those tried and true men
who braved the dangers of the ocean
and the desert-are passing away.
They came not in luxury and ease
that more than myriad band full of
the strength and valor of young man.
hood, full of the ambitious FIRE that
makes men great. Through the
rocky defiles of the mountains, across
the parched and weary plains, or buff
feting the pillows of the Pacific, they
came to turn the desert into golden
land. And they were great. With
their strong arms and quick brains
they have builded commonweal ths
which the people of old could not
have conceived as possible to exist,
save in the fantastic dreams of poets.
The best blood and spirit of the youth
of all nations congregated on the
strange border of the western world.
No wonder that the proportion of
brilliant men produced by the Pacific
Coast has been greater than that of
any other land in the worlds history.
But they are passing away. Year
after year they have been crossing the
river, till now but a few remain with
US, and they stand near the shore with
white hair and dimmed eyes, waiting
for the summons that must soon come
to them to Join their fellows. But
they Ego not like the quarry slave at
night, seourged to his dungeon 1t
was always theirs to give. AS they
prepare to depart, they turn to give
US their last blessing and royal gift
royal in Its intrinsic value, richer than
Pluto's mine,' in the memories that
cling around it. Let us accept it
with the thankfulness, the reverence
that BELTS it, and worthily place it
where it may always remain a pre-
cious heritage and a sweet remem-
brance of our noble pioneers"
| Colonel Patterson and DR.. Delevan,
composing the committee appointed
by the society to present the magnifi-
cent gift to the State, though strongly
urged by Governor Stevenson and the
most prominent members of the Sen.
ate and Assembly, modestly declined
to set date for formal presentation
of the cabinet with ceremonies beft
, ting an event forming such an i'm
A portant epoch in the history of Ne
vada. The old pioneers had evidently
concluded to bequeath the valuable
legacy to the State in the same unos
e tentatious manner IN which they CAV,
: their wealth in charity ir Argonauti'
t days.
, Colonel Patterson recently received
a letter from Colonel "Bob" Taylor
a member of the society, now residing
# in San Francisco, in which he refer
;. in the following characteristic style t.
3 the proposed presentation:
"The fate of the Society of PaciG
Coast Pioneers and its belongings i
sad to think of; particularly when w
# take into account the bright hope
q with which it started, and its numer
GUS and enthusiastic membership, nov
scattered, so far as the survivors ar
concerned, almost to the uttermos
ends of the earth. And how yer
K many of the light hearts and happ
faces have ceased to beat and beam
h And so, at last, it is but fit that wha
is left to US Of our property, our cab
net and our pictures should 60 to tn
{. State we helped to make. l hop
d that it will be SO arranged that thos
It who are to come after US may kno,
A. to whom they are indebted for thes
additions to the States treasures.
, should very much like to be wit
q your little band-the remnant of on
20 former glorious society-when tn
. formal transfer is made, but l canno
IL Peace to the ashes of our brothe,
n l.l .oJ Yon- l;fo ,oJ ,roc,a.,<,, .